relief is having the kafkaesque stop

POD#2

Thank you KT for being the naughty child and writing an update.

Yes, it is good to be home, with the healing lake view out my bedroom window, and everything doesn't hurt so much as yesterday. What a miserable day, until KT came to spring me from the joint. I hate idiocy and that's what I saw a lot of from one floor nurse and one young aide.

I dislike it if one argues with my personal realities. I gave the RN a reasonable explanation, twice, for refusing Zofran. my nausea is probably from low blood pressure, she would counter "I offered you Zofran and you refused". Well, that's a fine medication for post op nausea caused by drugs of anesthesia but if it caused by hypotension (82/52) the correct answer is to put me back to bed. Or give me fluids which were out of reach. The aide confirmed my low BP by taking it twice and then took the BP machine out of the room and left me moaning. Guess she wasn't interested if it got lower. When KT gave the RN my feedback (I hate to complain when I'm sick) she came back to argue....and take my discharge BP to confirm it wasn't low anymore. Anyway, I survived but was not impressed by the duo's care performance. Anyone who argues with another's perception of illness hasn't figured out rule no #1.

Then there were the minor annoyances that were major to me...the bed computer broke so i had to stand waiting to get back to bed while 2 aids tried to fix the bed. They never did, but the time standing was forever. It was stuck in the lowest position flat. I had to flex maximally to sit...not the easiest since the surgery was in the groin and i couldn't have the foot of the bed raised....all this to prevent swelling in the leg and groin caused by removal of the nodes. Then there was the toilet paper bar not put on solidly and watching the tp roll just out of reach with my first venture to the toilet.

Let's leave the ugly for

The best of the day:

• the med student,
• Dr Laura Lambert's explanation of how Lynn's brother, Dr. Ken Eckhert changed her life from German scholar to noted cancer surgeon http://www.telegram.com/article/20100129/NEWS/1290496/1116
• a single room,
• the housekeeping staff, he gave me a newspaper and the supervisor asked me if things were to my satisfaction (wow)
• hearing lynn and lou were tops in duplicate bridge
• figuring out i was going to survive idiots
• kt rescuing me
• hospital room with a view
• hearing that QQLA meeting went well and the website will be better
• all the messages, emails and phone calls from friends near and far but all very dear.

Looking forward to my first shower.

and viewing the world from a much better frame of mind,

Meg